Description
This presentation summarizes my astronomy teaching experience at a primary school in Bangkok. The school has a recently upgraded planetarium and astronomy teaching in the school was combined with the usage of the planetarium. An astronomy curriculum was introduced, focusing on basic astronomy knowledge, planetarium usage and emphasizing hands-on activities. The curriculum was tailored to suit primary school students, incorporating storytelling, interactive simulations, and basic stargazing to foster curiosity about the universe. In addition, the Seestar S30 was also used to demonstrate operations and functionalities of a telescope. The upgraded planetarium was observed to significantly increase student engagement, with interactive sessions proving particularly effective in sustaining interest among young learners. Teacher training improved confidence in delivering astronomy content, though challenges arose due to limited prior exposure to the subject among educators. Barriers included time constraints within the school schedule and the need for ongoing professional development to maintain teaching efficacy. Simplified activities, such as constellation mapping and model-building, were most successful, while complex topics like astrophysical concepts proved less effective for younger age groups as expected. This case highlights the potential of modernized facilities and targeted training to enhance astronomy education in primary settings, while underscoring the need for age-appropriate content and sustained support for educators to overcome implementation challenges.
